Lack of transportation and marketing facilities and exploitation by private money lenders have forced cotton growers to cultivate other crops despite cotton’s potential for good returns
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Through multi-tier farming women minimize risks, maximize profits
Growing a minimum of three crops per season, women farmers overcome climate risks. Staggered harvest from multiple crops help then earn through the year and overcome market risks
Dairy cooperative leads to empowerment of women
Women who were confined to their homes became dairy farmers as SHG members, subsequently forming a self-reliant cooperative. It has resulted in empowering them socially and financially
Odisha fares poorly in women’s safety, despite government efforts
Statistics reveal rampant gender-based violence and inequality in Odisha. A concerted multi-stakeholder effort is needed to bring about change, as government initiatives are slow in bearing results
Women-run platform ensures gender justice to rural women
A socio-legal forum led by rural women resolves gender-based conflicts and injustice within families and communities, and helps women in villages lead a dignified life
Social entrepreneur improves rural livelihood opportunities
Quitting a lucrative job and taking up farming, engineer runs a farm-based enterprise, enabling women farmers to become rural entrepreneurs
Tribes hope to revive degenerated agriculture through development plan
Development eluded two remote Irula tribal villages in Western Ghats. Through Tribal Sub-Plan being implemented, they hope to revive agriculture that once kept them self-sufficient
Educated Dalits and Adivasis turn laborers during lockdown
With hard-earned and loan-funded professional and arts degrees, rural youth who lost their jobs during lockdown have taken up MGNREGS work in Bidar
Kadar tribes face repeated displacement for hydel power projects
For more than a century, Kerala’s forest-dwelling tribes have been repeatedly evicted for power projects. Faced with another displacement, the tribes refuse to give up their rights
Women weavers start successful eateries after job loss
As shops and businesses opened for the day in Erode, a few kilometers away, women running eateries were about to wind up their breakfast fare. While some women were still packing idlis for take-away orders, a few served idlis in banana leaves, to men who sauntered in. The women aver that the place would be… Continue reading Women weavers start successful eateries after job loss
Farmers of Palghar protest against farm laws
In solidarity with protesting farmers in Delhi, men and women farmers of Maharashtra staged road blockades, demanding withdrawal of farm laws, and placed a charter of demands
Restoration of ponds leads to revival of agriculture
Despite good rainfall, lack of water retention led to farmers’ migration. Deepening of ponds to store rainwater has stopped migration and helped farmers grow crops across seasons
Students help revive traditional metal craft
Students with a passion for social entrepreneurship have helped traditional metal craftsmen to adapt to changing times with new designs, and explore new markets within the country and beyond
Women farmers leverage collective power to form producer company
Despite carrying out many farming activities, women lacked recognition. Coming together as a self-help group, they have found confidence to progress and use collective bargaining power to their advantage
Villagers conserve sacred groves as cultural and religious symbols
Sacred groves, an integral part of tribal life have been declining. Villagers are restoring the groves to ensure preservation of their culture and to address malnutrition
Women continue to roll beedis despite low wages, health risks
Due to lack of education and alternate sustainable employment avenues, millions of workers, especially women, endure beedi rolling. Familiarity and fear prevent them from switching jobs
Dairy cooperative creates a closed-loop replicable system
The lockdown made many dairy cooperatives lose business. However, a village cooperative in Anand has created a sustainable financial and ecological model, building synergy among farmers
Farmers still under cloud of Cyclone Gaja and storm surge
Coastal farmers suffered a double whammy when Cyclone Gaja brought a storm surge in its wake. Two years later, they are yet to recover, but remain hopeful
Crop diversification helps farmers double income
Tribal farmers, who were cultivating a single traditional crop, have doubled their income, by switching to high value crops and also by diversifying their crop basket
Camel milk inspires hope for herders
With an increase in awareness of various health benefits of camel milk, its sale has increased, boosting rural economy and livelihood of traditional camel herders